Method of and apparatus for hardening cast-steel



Mel) W. T. REASER.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR HARDBNING CAST STEEL. f N0. 550,291. Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

\VARREN T. REASER, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 550,291, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed November 30, 1894. Serial No. 530,450. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARREN T. REAsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Method of and Apparatus for Hardening Gast- Steel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in the method of and apparatus for hardening cast-steel; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful construction of hardening apparatus involving a method that will positively insure the homogeneous hardening of cast-steel, and also for the extra hardening of any particular part or parts of the casting requiring great strength and a hard wearingsurface.

To this end the invention primarily cont-eniplates a simple and efficient method for hardening steel castings of all kinds and an apparatus for carrying out the method, and which is particularly adapted for hardening rolling supports for balanced slide-valves, such as set forth in Reissue Patent No. 10,449, granted to me February 12, 1884.

'With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved method and apparatus, as herein described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View, partly in section,'of a hardening apparatus constructed in accordance with this in vention, showing a rolling slide-valve support arranged in position for being hardened. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View on the line a: m of Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a detail in perspective of the form of rolling valve-supports in connection with which the apparatus is especially employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a tank or tub of any suitable size or capacity and adapted to contain therein a bath of oil, (indicated by the reference-numeral 2,) and sufficient oil is designed to be placed in the tank or tub 1 to cover the opposite supporting-plates 3, that are located at diametrically-opposite inner sides of the tank or tub, near the top thereof' The opposite supporting-plates 3 are preferably L-shaped and have the vertical flanges 4 thereof resting against and secured to the inner sides .of the tank 1,

curved inner edges 6.

and the horizontal portions 5 of said plates project inwardly from the sides of the tank or tub and are provided with segmentally- The horizontal portions 5 of the supporting-plates 3 have extended integrally from the inner corners thereof the upwardly-disposed L-shaped securing-arms 7, that are suitably fastened at their upper ends, as at S, to the upper edge of the tank or tub 1 to provide for firmly securing the supporting-plates properly in position within the tank or tub at opposite inner sides thereof.

The opposite inner supporting-plates 3 have arranged directly under the horizontal portions thereof the opposite inwardlydisposed jet-nipplcs 9. The opposite inwardlydisposed jet-nipples 9, that are arranged under eachsupporting-plate, are provided with inner verticallydisposed contracted discharge-mouths 10, that provide for discharg-v ing a narrow stream of water into the tank or tub, and said jet-nipples are provided'with outer eXteriorly-threaded ends-11, that are preferably threaded into the threaded open ings 12 of the screw plates 13, fastened onthe outside of the tank or tub 1 at diametricallyopposite sides thereof, and by screwing the nipples in either direction through the openings of the plates 13 the nipples may be properly adjusted to vary the position of the discharging-mouths thereof as the requirements of the apparatus may demand. The said jetnipples are also designed to have connected therewith suitable piping to provide for forcing streams of water therethrough while the apparatus is in operation. 4

I11 order to maintain the bath of oil in the tank or tub at the proper temperature to prevent the overheating andfiring thereof, an annular perforated spray-pipe 14 is arranged within the upper part of the tank or tub above the level of the oil, and in order to provide for draining the water in the bottom of the tank or tub as fast as it is introduced therein by the spray-pipe a suitable drain cook or pipe 15 may be connected with the bottom of the tank or tub, as will be obvious.

In hardening a casting of steel it is simply necessary to first heat such casting to about a cherry-red heat and then place the same between and on the supporting-plates 3 in the IOO tank, and said supporting-plates are designed to support the casting, so that the same'will be entirely submerged in the bath of oil in order to receive a homogeneous oil hardening throughout its entire body. The parts of the casting which project below the horizon.- tal portions of the supporting-plate will be arranged directly opposite or adjacent to the inner discharging ends of the j et-nipples, and.

. valve support 16 is substantially the same construction of rake-support as shown in my reissue patent already referred to and in Patent No. M4 363. The support 16 is provided with opposite segmental bearing ends 17, having a common center, and at one side of each of said bearing ends the said support is further provided with the toothed ments 18, the teeth of which projectslightly beyond the surfaces of the segmental bearing ends 17. In a valvesupport of this character the curved surfaces of the segmental bearing ends 17 are subjected to great and excessive wear, and therefore such surfaces at the points where theyhave a contact must necessarily be made as hard as it is possible to make them.

In carrying out the herein described method the curved surfaces of the segmental bearing ends 17 have first applied thereto prussiate of potash, and the entire casting is then heated to about a cherry-red heat. After the casting has reached the desireddegree of heat with prussiate of potash applied to the ends thereof the said casting is plunged into the bath of oil by dropping the same into position between the supporting-plates 3, so that the projecting teeth of the toothed segments will rest on the inner edges of the horizontal portions of said supporting-plates, which inner edges are curved to fit the segmental ends of the casting.

In the position noted the entire casting, including the teeth thereof, will be subjected to an oil-hardening, and by forcing a stream Such.

Vere wear to which they are subjected, parvticularly in locomotive and other high-speed engines.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired. tobe secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. An improvement in the method of hard ening cast steel which consists in applying prussiate of potash to certain parts of the castin g to be hardened, heating the entire casting with the prussiate of potash thereon, plungin g the entire heated casting into a single bath of oil, and finally forcing a stream of cold wa ter through the oil and against the prussiate of potash coated surfaces of the casting, substantially as set forth.

In an apparatus for hardening cast steel, the combination of a tank adapted to contain a bath of oil, supporting plates arranged within the tank at opposite inner sides thereof, and cold water jet nipples adjustably fitted in opposite sides of the tank and projecting inwardly directly under said supporting plates, said nipples being provided with inner contracted discharge mouths, substantially as set forth.

In an apparatus for hardening cast steel, the'combination of a tankadapted to contain a bath of oil, horizontal supporting plates arranged within the tank at diametrically opposite sides thereof and provided with inner segmentally curved edges, and a pair of upwardly extending L-shaped securing arms adapted to be fastened to the upper edgesof the tank, and opposite inwardly disposed jet nipples fitted to opposite sides of the tank and arranged directly under said supporting plates, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing my own I have hereto a-fiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VARREN T. REASER.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN II. Sroenus, G. C, SHOEMAKER. 

